Egypt’s foreign minister said Monday that his country would participate in a new African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, as the two countries grow closer amid tensions with Ethiopia.
“Egypt has decided to join the mission, based on a request from the Somali government and the welcome it received from the African Union’s Security Council and peacekeeping,” Badr Abdelatty told a joint news conference Monday with his Somali counterpart, Ahmed Moallem Fiqi, who was visiting Cairo.
Tensions have been high in the Horn of Africa since Ethiopia signed a maritime agreement with the Somaliland administration in January, bringing Mogadishu closer to Cairo and the region’s rival Addis Ababa.
Abdelatty’s comments came ahead of the end of the African Union’s Interim Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on December 31, which will be replaced by the African Union’s Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
Abdelatty reaffirmed on Monday “Somalia’s sovereignty over all of its territory” and rejected “any unilateral measures or measures that affect the unity, sovereignty and security of Somalia.”
This month, Turkey facilitated an agreement to end a bitter dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia that has dragged on for nearly a year.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the development historic, and the talks were welcomed by the African Union, Washington and Brussels.
Somalia has previously said it would withdraw Ethiopian troops from the African Union peacekeeping force, but has welcomed Egypt’s participation.
Cairo’s top diplomat did not clarify on Monday the extent of Egypt’s involvement in the mission, but said the two countries were working on a strategic partnership.
In August, Egypt signed a military cooperation agreement with Somalia during a visit to Cairo by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
In October, a summit in Asmara brought together Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia in a new regional alliance seen as a pushback against Ethiopia.
Cairo has long been at odds with Addis Ababa, particularly over Ethiopia’s massive Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River, which it says threatens its access to vital water.